A former Hewlett Packard sales executive who sexually molested the grade-school aged daughter of a close friend was sentenced Friday to 7 1/2 years in prison.

Timothy Lloyd Medlin, who once coached a girl's basketball team, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree sexual abuse. The crimes were committed between July 2010 and February 2011 when he lived in West Linn.

The girl's mother described Medlin, 50, as a child molester who slowly groomed her daughter until she became a victim. Medlin is a "clever, charismatic and deceptive man" willing to take years to plan and execute a scheme, she said, urging Clackamas County Circuit Judge Eve L. Miller to impose a harsh sentence.

The young victim said she feels she can't tell others about what happened to her, fearing they will judge her. "It pains me .. that I have to keep this to myself," she said.

About 25 of Medlin's supporters -- long-time friends, co-workers and family members -- filled the small courtroom. Some had to wait in the hallway. They praised him as a strong family man, a loyal friend and a generous and compassionate person. The child-sex crimes were totally out of character, they said.

"I apologize for everything I did to hurt you," Medlin told the girl and her mother. "I am absolutely humbled and devastated and destroyed," he told the judge.

Medlin, who earned more than $250,000 a year, will pay $25,000 to the victim.

Under Measure 11, Medlin faced at least six years and three months in prison. Prosecutor Bryan Brock argued for a 12 1/2 year sentence. "It may be Mr. Medlin learned a lesson here. It's a lesson he should have learned before," Brock said.

Medlin's attorney, Randall Vogt, said his client is not a threat to reoffend and a longer sentence would be a waste of taxpayers' money. He can depend on the strong support of friends and family when he's released, Vogt said.

Miller said it did not appear that Medlin will be a risk to the community, but she concluded a strong sentence was needed.

"There's no question in my mind ... that (sexual abuse) happened on multiple occasions," Miller said. "You crossed the line so far," she said.